These are your Swansea City transfer headlines on Sunday, July 17.
Swans 'in talks' with released striker
The Sun report Swansea are 'in talks' with young striker Connor McBride.
The 21-year-old is a free agent after being released by Blackburn Rovers at the end of last season.
Rovers signed him from Celtic on a two-year deal, initially for the club's under-23s ranks. He failed to make a first-team appearance at Ewood Park and spent last season on loan with Queen’s Park in his homeland.
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He made 16 appearances north of the border but failed to trouble the scorers. His record within the Rovers' youth ranks stands up well though, netting 16 goals in 35 appearances in Premier League 2.
One suspects if Swansea pursue a deal for the Scottish attacker he would be for their own under-21s squad.
This football is what players dream about - Wood
New signing Nathan Wood says the style of football at Swansea is what "every player dreams of playing".
The centre-back has been settling into life nicely in SA1, featuring regularly across the course of pre-season, earning high praise from the Swansea coaching staff, which you can read about here.
With Ben Cabango still recuperating from injury, Wood could well start the season alongside Harry Darling and Kyle Naughton up at the New York Stadium against Rotherham United.
It's clear, too, he's loving his new surroundings.
“For me, I think this is the style of football that every player dreams of playing,” he said. “It is great to be involved in, and the coaching staff give you all the detail and preparation you need.
“Across pre-season they have worked with me, gone through the analysis with me. They have shown me what I have done well, and shown me where I need to improve. I’ve got plenty of game-time under my belt, and that is a big thing when you are learning and adapting, because as good as the analysis is, you learn by going out there and doing it in person.
“You will make mistakes, but by going through that, you get a better understanding.
“That also helps underline the things I am doing well, and when it works it is just so enjoyable. It helps I have joined a squad where the lads have been doing this for a while and they are all helping me too.
“It’s about continuing to learn and I just cannot wait to get started at Rotherham.”
Joe Allen, meanwhile, says he hopes his fitness and form for Swansea will stand him in good stead for Wales' World Cup assault in November. Allen is close to returning from a hamstring injury he picked up on international duty last month.
Asked if there were any plans in place to manage his workload to make sure he peaked for the tournament, he said: "Not really. There's been huge talk around the timing of the World Cup. I haven't really considered it too much until we qualified and until the season was on the horizon.
"The next few weeks at least, not much will be different, and then I'm sure there'll be practices in place the closer we get to it. I'm really hopeful I'll be in a good place in terms of my form and fitness here at Swansea. What a competition to look forward to."
Gill: Good workout
Swansea assistant coach Matt Gill says the two hour-long matches against Bristol Rovers on Saturday were another step up in preparation ahead of the new season.
The League One side were beaten 2-1 in the first match and held Swansea to a 1-1 draw in the second in red-hot conditions at Fairwood.
Swansea now head to Charlton next weekend for a final friendly before the campaign kicks off proper against Rotherham United a week on Saturday.
“It was unbelievably hot, but the lads were great. We are getting closer to the start of the season so it was a step up another gear and I thought the performance was another step up,” Gill said.
“That was pleasing, there was some good stuff in there and we scored some lovely goals.
“Obviously, there are one or two actions we will need to work on, which is always the case in pre-season.
“It was more minutes in the tank, so it was a good exercise for us. A lot of the lads ticked off a 90 minutes and they will take a lot from that in these conditions and it’s something to build on going into the last game at Charlton.
“It felt like we have been building our intensity, and that was the case again today. Bristol Rovers were bang up for it and it was a good test to have.
“The intensity stepped up, the performance stepped up, and it was a good test for us to have.”
Bayo set for I'm a Celeb!
Former Swansea striker Adebayo Akinfenwa is reportedly set to be in this year's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
The ex-Wycombe Wanderers hitman hung up his boots at the end of last season after a 22-year career which saw stints at Swansea, Millwall and AFC Wimbledon.
A career in the media beckons for Akinfenwa now, with the Sun stating he is being lined up to head Down Under to appear in the ITV reality show.
They quote a source as saying: "Ade is in the frame and would be keen on appearing. He is a hardman on the pitch, but is a gent off it. He's also charismatic and funny and know loads of people in the game."
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